Abstract
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•Surface modification of g-C3N4 with Hydrazine allows the easy introduction of other function groups.•General method for noble-metal free hydrogen evolution g-C3N4 catalyst with stable hydrogen evolution.•0.2wt% nickel on the modified g-C3N4 achieves 40% hydrogen evolution efficiency of 3wt% Pt deposited g-C3N4.
The graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) usually is thought to be an inert material and it’s difficult to have the surface terminated NH2 groups functionalized. By modifying the g-C3N4 surface with hydrazine, the diazanyl group was successfully introduced onto the g-C3N4 surface, which allows the introduction with many other function groups. Here we illustrated that by reaction of surface hydrazine group modified g-C3N4 with CS2 under basic condition, a water electrolysis active group C(S)SNi can be implanted on the g-C3N4 surface, and leads to a noble metal free hydrogen evolution catalyst. This catalyst has 40% hydrogen evolution efficiency compare to the 3wt% Pt photo precipitated g-C3N4, with only less than 0.2wt% nickel.